Bengaluru: A disciplined bowling effort followed by a composed chase powered Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a convincing five-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League 2026 clash.
Chasing a modest target of 147, RCB reached 149/5 with ease, showcasing depth in both their batting and bowling departments.
Match Summary
- LSG: 146 all out
- RCB: 149/5
- Result: RCB won by 5 wickets
RCB’s Controlled Chase
The chase was anchored by Virat Kohli, who played a steady knock of 49, narrowly missing out on a half-century. His innings laid the foundation despite early wickets at the other end.
Rajat Patidar (27) and Jitesh Sharma (23) ensured momentum was maintained through the middle overs, stitching together crucial contributions.
In the final phase, Tim David accelerated the scoring with a quickfire cameo, sealing the win comfortably with overs to spare.
Key Moments in the Chase
RCB faced an early setback but recovered swiftly, thanks to Kohli’s fluent strokeplay in the PowerPlay. His innings featured crisp boundaries that kept the scoreboard ticking.
Kohli was eventually dismissed for 49 by Avesh Khan, who emerged as one of LSG’s standout bowlers. Prince Yadav briefly raised hopes for LSG with a double strike, but the low target meant RCB were always in control.
LSG Struggle with the Bat
Earlier, Lucknow Super Giants were bowled out for 146, failing to build sustained partnerships.
Top contributors included:
- Mitchell Marsh – 40
- Mukul Choudhary – 39
- Ayush Badoni – 38
Despite these efforts, regular wickets prevented LSG from posting a competitive total.
RCB Bowling Dominates
RCB’s bowlers set up the victory with a clinical performance.
- Rasikh Salam Dar starred with 4 wickets, dismantling LSG’s middle order.
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar claimed 3 wickets, maintaining tight control.
- Krunal Pandya chipped in with a key breakthrough, marking his 100th IPL wicket milestone.
Support from Josh Hazlewood and Suyash Sharma ensured LSG never gained momentum.
Turning Point
The decisive moment came in the middle overs when Rasikh Salam Dar’s four-wicket burst triggered a collapse, breaking the backbone of LSG’s batting lineup.
Key Takeaways
- RCB comfortably chased 147 with overs to spare.
- 146 stands among the lower first-innings totals in IPL 2026.
- RCB continue their strong record while chasing, winning 7 of their last 8 matches batting second since 2025.
With this win, Royal Challengers Bengaluru reaffirmed their reputation as one of the most reliable chasing sides this season, while Lucknow Super Giants will need to address their struggles in defending modest totals.
